Virginia Beach Golf Tournament Draws Celebrity Field

May 06, 2001|By ED RICHARDS Daily Press

Daily Press

Gene Bunn, tournament director for the $450,000 Buy.Com Virginia Beach Open, is expecting attendance for the second annual golf event to increase significantly this coming week at the TPC of Virginia Beach Course.

Last year's inaugural tournament attracted only 8,500 people. This week, he's expecting at least three times that figure.

One reason is the bargain ticket prices -- $25 for the entire week's tournament or $5 a day for the opening two rounds on Thursday and Friday and $10 a day for the final two rounds on Saturday and Sunday.

Then there are others like Casey Martin, defending champ Ryuji Imada and former State Open champion John Rollins.

"All these guys are headed our way; there will be a lot more name recognition this year," Bunn said.

Imada was a no-name coming into the Virginia Beach Open last year, but the Buy.Com Tour rookie won the $400,000 tournament by five strokes over runner-up Todd Demsey with a closing 4-under-par 68 and 72-hole total of 13-under 275.

This year's attendance should also get a boost from the merger of the former Bruce Smith Celebrity Pro-Am with the Buy.Com Tournament. The Monday play-for-fun event is taking on a new name, the Sprint PCS Celebrity Pro-Am.

"This will jumpstart the week for the Buy.Com," said Bunn, who is excited about the celebrities coming to town.

Expected to join Smith for the attraction are a team of NFL players, including the Washington Redskins Jeff George and Champ Bailey, the San Diego Chargers Junior Seau, the St. Louis Rams Dre' Bly, the New Orleans Saints Darren Perry, the Pittsburgh Steelers Plaxico Burress and this year's No. 1 draft pick, Michael Vick of the Atlanta Falcons.

Others on the celebrity list are actor Richard Roundtree, singer and entertainer Meatloaf and Darius Rucker of Hootie and the Blowfish.

Gates for Monday's pro-am open at 9 a.m., with a shotgun start at 10:30. Each of the groups will include a Buy.Com pro, a celebrity and three amateurs.

Admission to the pro-am is $25, but that also allows fans admission to the four rounds of the championship tournament.

The weekly tickets may be purchased at any of 27 BB&T Bank locations from Virginia Beach to Williamsburg. Daily tickets must be purchased at the gate.